Haitian-American performing artist Malou Beauvoir is a captivating, highly
emotive singer-songwriter and actor who brings to her artistry the unique
amalgamation of her multi-cultural influences and experiences. A citizen of
the world, she has lived in the US, Europe and Haiti, and traveled
extensively; each culture she has encountered has impacted and informed her
in different ways, reinforcing her openness to different perspectives and
forms of spirituality.
Born
in Chicago to Haitian parents, Malou was raised in New York, growing up with
brother and rock phenomenon Jean Beauvoir (The Ramones, Kiss). She moved to
Paris at 15 to attend the American University and pursue her artistic
passions. Juggling both art and business while earning an MBA and a senior
position in the high-tech industry, by the end of the 1990s she devoted
herself exclusively to singing and acting, securing engagements in venues
around the world — from Dubai to Rio, Beirut, London, and Paris, where she
performed for two years as lead singer at the renowned Paradis Latin. She
currently splits her time between Brussels and New York, continuing to
travel around the world.
Beauvoir’s acting career has included roles in Stephen Frears’ Oscar-winning
The Queen, Élisabeth Rappeneau’s Paul et ses Femmes, in which she plays
Agnes, a jazz singer (Beauvoir wrote the song she performs in the film),
Christian Carion’s Farewell, and the hit TV series Perception.
Malou has enjoyed a diverse recording career ranging from featured Universal
France artist (Datafolk) to collaborations with hip hop, dance and house
artists. A chance encounter with jazz drummer Tristan Maillot eventually led
to jazz studies with Anita Wardell (Best Jazz Vocalist, British Jazz
Awards), and a discovery of the beauty and freedom inherent in singing jazz.
Auspiciously, she was heard in Paris by French jazz producer and bassist
Jean Chaudron, leading to her first jazz recording: An Evening at The Swan
(2006) with the Jean Chaudron Trio — a mélange of diverse styles, cultures
and musical influences coalescing through the warmth and sensuality of
Malou’s voice. Next came Live at The Lionel Hampton (2008) with Chaudron’s
quintet, a soulful and eclectic memento of a week’s residence at the famed
Paris jazz club. Meeting Belgian pianist Ivan Paduart in Brussels led to
Live at The Music Village (2012), and the launch of “Malou Invites”— a
monthly engagement at the Belgian club, exploring diverse styles of music
and collaborating with different guests.
Back in New York, Beauvoir performed at such legendary venues as Minton’s
Playhouse and Smalls, sharing the stage with musicians including Benny
Wallace, Donald Vega, Danny Mixon, Terrell Stafford and Hernan Riley. Is
This Love (2016), recorded at Avatar studios (arranged by Andy Ezrin, with
Bobby Mann, Ben Wittman, David Finck, Brian Pareschi and three-time Grammy
nominee Donny McCaslin) rose to the top 50 on the JazzWeek charts within a
few weeks. That same year she appeared on pianist Greg Murphy’s Summer
Breeze, offering a cover of “Sophisticated Lady” and co-writing “A Reason to
Smile.”
Malou has also supported and performed for the Fonkoze Foundation — Haiti’s
leading microfinance institution, empowering Haitian women, as well as other
foundations supporting musical programs for children, such as BackCountry
Jazz. She is currently working on creating a foundation in Haiti to increase
awareness of the cultural heritage of Vaudou, and promote education and
development in rural regions.
Following a performance alongside Cecile McLorin-Salvant at the Jazz
Magazine Festival in Paris in 2017, Malou made her first appearance at the
Port-au-Prince jazz festival in Haiti, introducing a new Haitian folkloric
project. This work culminated in her 2018 recording Spiritwalker — an homage
to traditional Haitian spirits and folklore. “I’ve always taken comfort in
the guidance and visions they offered me,” she says of the spirits, who have
been with her since childhood. “The spiritual aspect has always infused my
music, but is now more evident, representing the essence of my sound, and is
fundamental to all that I do.”
For more information about Malou, go to
www.maloubeauvoir.com.
Featured Artist of
November 6, 2019
with
the song: Papa Damballah
The sixth single from Malou Beauvoir’s « SPIRITWALKER » album, PAPA
DAMBALLAHspeaks to one of the most ancient and revered spirits in Haitian
Vaudou. Creator of all life, Papa Damballah, the great white snake,
represents wisdom, morality, creation, and equity.
The song recalls we are all his children and asks for his protection and
guidance in situations of injustice. Beauvoir’s personal relationship with
this spirit is emphasized during the spoken word passage when she « thanks
him and the spirits that guide her everyday of her life for their support ».
Originally recorded for her IS THIS LOVE album, the song appears on the
SPIRITWALKER album as the closing song and was chosen as the end credit song
in Suzan Beraza’s film « MASSACRE RIVER: The Woman Without a Country » which
has aired on PBS over 1500 times since Oct 1 2019 new dates are announced in
November.
Featured Artist of
August 21, 2018
with
the song: Rasanbleman
On
her new release, Spiritwalker, Haitian-American
singer-songwriter Malou Beauvoir communes with and for
the spiritual traditions of her island heritage.
The album is at once a celebration of the Vaudou spirits
that embody and enrich the culture of Haiti, as well as
a conveyance of their message of peace and awakening to
the world at large.
Beauvoir’s music is a rich blend of Haiti’s folk
traditions and a compelling weave of contemporary
influences, melding soulful melodies, hip hop grooves
and jazz virtuosity. The songs – a blend of original
compositions, traditional folk tunes and beloved popular
Haitian songs – convey a powerful message of acceptance
and community at a time of turmoil in Haiti and
polarization around the globe.
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